As interest in using Copilot AI grew, Kristine Latta and Amanda Temple recognized a gap in training and hands-on support needed to help staff effectively apply AI to everyday administrative work at KU. While faculty had begun organizing resources and workgroups focused on AI in research, teaching, and learning, staff lacked a consistent forum to share practical use cases, ask questions, and receive peer support.
To address this need, a small group launched Automate & Elevate, a staff-focused community modeled after the faculty workgroup. The community meets twice monthly and emphasizes practical applications through real-world examples, live demonstrations, and peer learning rather than formal training alone. Session recordings and materials are shared in Teams, allowing participants to revisit content and continue learning over time.
This approach provides a flexible, low-barrier environment where staff can bring real challenges, learn from colleagues actively using AI, and build confidence incrementally. In addition, the community helps identify common needs and themes that can inform future, more targeted IT or campus-wide training efforts.
Fellow Change Agents:
- Kristine Latta
- Amanda Temple
- Tanner Grubbs
- Matthew Lawrence
- Jason Koepp
- Craig Alexander
Impact of idea:
Automate & Elevate provides KU staff with practical, relatable examples of how AI can be applied to daily work in a supportive, collaborative setting. By creating a safe space to ask questions and solve real problems together, the community encourages broader adoption of AI tools. The primary benefit to KU is a more engaged and connected staff who are increasingly equipped to leverage AI
